The invention relates to an indicator apparatus for signaling that a foldable backrest of a seat, in particular a rear seat in a motor vehicle, is not locked, having a handle that can be pivoted between a locked position and an unlocked position about a pivot axis and by means of which handle a catch of a locking apparatus can be carried along between a blocked position and an unblocked position and by means of a transmission element an indicator element, which is guided in a guide between a non-indication position in which it is recessed in the guide and an indication position in which it protrudes outward partially out of the guide, can be moved in a displaceable manner, wherein the indicator element can be moved against a spring force into its non-indication position by the application of force to its outer end region that protrudes out of the guide when the handle is located in the unlocked position.
Indicator apparatuses of this type are used, in particular in the case of passenger vehicles that have foldable backrests of the rear seat, to indicate that the locking apparatus of said backrest is not in its correct latched position, which would mean that there is a risk of the backrest folding forwards in the event of any deceleration during the driving operation, in particular during a brake application.
It is known in the case of an indicator apparatus of this type that the indicator element can be moved by the handle from its non-indication position into its indication position by means of a spring.
The indicator element can be moved in the opposite direction from the indication position into the non-indication position in a positive-locking manner by the handle.
This type of movement of the indicator element requires a costly construction.